Alarm clock



Dec. 31, 1935. c. E. SHOLDEN .ALARM CLOCK Filed May 22, 1933 [N ["E/VTO/f Chnshcm E. Sholden Patented Dec. 31, 1935 I V 2,026,070

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALARM oLooK Christian E. Sholden, Minneapolis, Minn. Application May 22, 1938, Serial No. 672,185 7 Claims. (01. 58-19) My invention relates to alarm clocks and has clock proper forms no particular feature of the for an object to provide a clock by means of invention and that the invention may be apwhich both an alarm and a signal may be given. plied to any type of clock. For this reason the Another object of the invention resides in proparts of the alarm clock not intimately associviding a clock in which the signal may be first ated with the invention have not been shown. 5 given and the alarm subsequently given. The clock illustrated comprises a frame Ill which A still further object of the invention resides consists of two bearing plates H and [2 held in in constructing the clock with a single trip spaced relation with respect to one another by mechanism and in utilizing said trip mechanism suitable posts l3. These posts may be riveted to for operating both the alarm and the signal. the plate 12 as indicated at M and are formed 10 Another object of the invention resides in utiwith threaded studs l5 which pass through the lizing an electrical alarm and an electrical signal plate i l. Nuts l6 screwed upon these studs hold requiring separate circuits and in further emthe plate H properly attached to the frame.

ploying separate switches operated by the trip The various staffs of the clock which carry the mechanism for actuating said circuits to procure pinion .and gear wheels and escapement thereon l5 operation of the alarm and signal. and in case of an electrical clock, the motor -A feature of the invention resides in conparts, are mounted between the two bearing structing the trip mechanism with a staff having plates I I and I2 and journaled through bearings a member fixed relative thereto and having a formed therein or through jewels or in any suitmember rotatable about the axis of said staff and able manner. As previously stated the majority 20 slidable toward said fixed member and in further of these parts forming no particular feature of constructiong one of said members with an abutthe invention have not been shown. The parment having two notches therein of different ticular clock illustrated is an electric clock and depth and in constructing the other of said consists of a center staff I! which passes through members with a finger adapted to ride against the two plates i0 and H and is journaled there- 25 said abutment and to enter either of said in. This shaft carries a gear l8 through which notches. motive power is directed to the said staff. The

Other objects of the invention reside in the staff I! in this particular clock is used to carry novel combination and arrangement of parts and the second hand which has not been shown.

in the details of construction hereinafter illus- Rotatably mounted upon the staif I! and exteri- 80 trated and/or described. Orly of the plate II is a gear assembly i9 In the drawing: which is mounted on a sleeve 20. Sleeve 20 sup- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of ports the minute hand of the clock and coma clock showing my invention applied thereto. prises the usual chuck pinion 2| and the minute Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 with certain hand gear wheel 22. Power is transmitted from 35 of the parts removed an showing other parts the gear wheel l8 to the gear wheel 22 through in altered position. suitable reduction gearing which has not been Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the strucshown in the drawing so that the sleeve 20 travture shown in Fig. 1. els at the proper rate of speed. The chuck pin- Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram of my invention. ion 2| meshes with the motion gear wheel 23 of 40 In the use of alarm clocks highly unsatisfacthe clock which is provided with a motion pintory results occur. In some cases the alarm ion 24. This pinion meshes with the hour gear startles the slumberer so that an appreciable wheel 25 which is mounted upon another sleeve shock is undergone. In other instances the 26 rotatable upon the protruding end of the alarm fails to awaken. With my invention a sigsleeve 20. The hour sleeve 26 has attached to it 45 nal in the form of a light is first given which a gear wheel 27 by means of which the alarm serves to awaken a light sleeper and in the event trip mechanism which has been indicated in its that the same is insufficient, an alarm is subseentirety by the reference numeral 28 is operquently sounded. The construction by means ated. This construction will now be described of which these results are accomplished will now in detail. V 50 be described in detail. The trip mechanism includes a staff 29 which For the purpose of illustrating my invention, passes through the two plates II and [2. This I have shown a part of an alarm clock which is staff is directly journaled in the plate 12 and inindicated in its entirety by the reference characdirectly journaled for rotation in the plate H ter A. It can readily be comprehended that the in a manner to be hereinafter described. The 55 described in detail. The collar abuts against the inner surface of the plate l2. Upon the' staff 29 is mounted another collar 32 which is spaced from the outer surface of the plate I2. Between this collar and the said plate is disposed a spring washer 33 which provides a friction between the staff 29 and frame I8 by means of which the stafi is normally held stationary and through which the said staff may be rotated when it is desired to set the pointer or hand which indicates the time when the trip mechanism is tripped. For the purpose of rotating the staff 29 an alarm set 34 is employed which is screwed or otherwise secured upon the end of said staff.

Slidably and rotatably mounted upon the staff 29 between the two plates II and I2 is a trip member 35. This member consists of a hub 35 formed with a, flange 31 projecting outwardly therefrom. On the hub 36 is secured a disk 38 constructed of some suitable electrical insulating material. The member 35 is driven through a sleeve 39 which is rotatably mounted upon the stafi 29 and which is journaled in a bearing formed in the bearing plate The sleeve 39 is provided at its outer end with a gear wheel 40 which meshes with the gear wheel 21 carried by the hour sleeve-26 and is further formed at its inner end with a longitudinal slot 4| forming part of a jaw coupling 42 by means of which the member 35 may be rotated. The hub 36 of said member is constructed with a tongue 43 which enters the slot 4|, the same operating in the manner of a spline whereby the said member 36 may be rotated and still be permitted to slide longitudinally of the axis of a staff 29. To hold the sleeve 39 in proper position upon the staff 29 the same is reduced in diameter as designated at 44 where the same passes through the plate The hub 45 of the gear wheel 40 is attached to the reduced end 44 of sleeve 39 through a pressed fit and abuts against the outer surface of plate whereby the said sleeve is held from axial movement along staff 29.

The head 3| previously referred to is constructed with a radial surface 48 which serves as an abutment. In this surface are formed two notches 46 and 41 which serve as cams, the notch 46 extending partly through said head and the notch 41 extending completely through it. On the flange 31 is formed a finger 49 which may be constructed by severing a portion of said flange therefrom and pressing the same outwardly of the plane of said flange. The construction of this finger is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The corner 58 of this finger is adapted to ride along the abutment 48 and to enter into either of the two notches 46 and 41 when the portion 50 of said finger comes opposite the same. For urging the finger 49 against abutment 48 a compression coil spring 52 is utilized which is seated at one end against the inner surface of plate H and at its other end against the disk 38. By means of this construction the member 35 is driven at a uniform rate of speed from the gearing of thelclock and at the same time is permitted to slide longitudinally of the staff 29 to permit the finger 49 to follow the abutment 48 and. to drop into notches 46 and 41. The finger 49 is constructed with a helical cam surface 53 which is adapted to engage the corner 54 formed on the flange 3| through the 5 notch 41 best shown in Fig. 3. This cam surface causes the member 35 to be moved in opposition to spring 52 whereby the finger 49 is moved from notch 41 back to the radial surface 48. 10

For cooperation with the trip mechanism of the clock I utilize two switches 55 and 56 which comprise three switch leaves 51, 58 and 59. These switch leaves are constructed with contacts 60, 6|, 62 and 63 which are adapted to 15 contact with one another to close circuits connected with said switch leaves. The switch leaves are mounted between insulating blocks 64, secured to the bearing plate through screws 65. Screws 65 are insulated from the 20 various switch leaves and contact may be had with the switch leaves through soldering lugs formed thereon and projecting outwardly beyond the insulating blocks. The two switch leaves 59 and 59 normally are spaced from one 2 another as shown in Fig. 1 thereby maintaining the circuit therethrough open. The switch leaf 51, however, is normally sprung toward the right so that when this switch is without restraint the same brings the contacts of all leaves together as shown in Fig. 2. This switch leaf is constructed with a finger 66 which rides against the radial surface of the disk 38. When this disk is shifted into the position shown in Fig. 1, switch leaf 51 is completely disengaged 35 from the other switch leaves and all of the circuits through the switch leaves are open. When finger 49 enters notch 46 switch leaf 51 is so moved that the two contacts 68 and 6| are brought together. When the finger 49 becomes 40 disposed in notch 41, switch leaf 51 is so moved that all of the contacts 60, 6|, 62 and 63 are in contact, thereby closing all of the circuits through said switch leaves.

7 In Fig. 4 I have shown the wiring diagram of 45 my invention. The line from which power is derived is indicated at B and comprises the two buses 61 and 68. The three switch leaves of the clock are designated by the same reference numerals and are illustrated in the wiring dia-= gram in open position. Operating in conjunction with the clock is an alarm 69 which consists of a buzzer bell or similar acoustical device. In addition, a signal 10 is employed which has been illustrated as an electric lamp. These parts are connected to the switches 55 and 56 andto the line B as follows: A conductor 1| connects switch leaf 58 directly with the bus 61 of line B. Another conductor 12 connects the switch leaf 51 with one side of the lamp 10. This lamp is further connected through another conductor 13 with the bus 68 of the line. One side of the bell 69 is connected through a conductor 14 with the other switch leaf 59 while the other side of said bell is connected through a conductor 15 with conductor 13. In addition to these various connections, a conductor 16 is employed which is connected to the bus 61 and which is further connected to a manually operated switch 11. This switch in turn is connected 70 through a conductor 18 with conductor 12 which leads to the lamp 10. v

The operation of the invention is as follows: When the trip mechanism has been set through the alarm set 34 and the clock permitted to run,

three switch 3 the finger 49 travels about the abutment 48 on head 3|. As soon as said finger reaches the notch 46 the same drops into the notch, shifting the disk 38 longitudinally along the trip staff 29. This brings the two contacts 60 and 6| together which completes a circuit. The circuit may be traced as follows: Commencing with bus 6'! of line B, the circuit includes conductor 1|, switch leaf 58, switch leaf 51, lamp l0 and conductor 13, which leads back to the opposite bus 68 of the line. The lamp (0 then becomes illuminated. As the finger 48 travels further the same drops into the notch 41. The position of the same when in said notch is illustrated in Fig. 2. In this position, all of the contacts of the switch leaves are connected together. When the parts are so disposed the circuit previously described remains closed and a new circuit is completed. This circuit can be traced as follows: Commencing with the bus 61 of line B, current flows through the conductor H, switch leaf 58, switch leaf 59, conductor 74, the bell 69, conductor 15 and conductor 73, back to the other bus 58 of the line B. This causes the simultaneous operation of both bell and buzzer. The signal and alarm then continue to operate until the member 35 is raised through the cam 53 and the part 54 of head 3| and the various switch leaves reset to the position shown in Fig. 1. The length of time between operation of the signal 10 and the alarm 69 is determined by the circumferential extent of the notch 46 which can be determined in advance. The switch 71 and the conductors 78 and 16 form a shunt around the switch 55 by means of which the lamp (0 may be manually lit whenever desired. In the construction of the clock the said lamp is preferably situated on top of the clock or at such locality that part of the light emanating therefrom is directed upon the dial of the clock, whereby the time of day can be determined through the operation of said switch.

For the purpose of throwing off the alarm and preventing operation of the trip mechanism, a throw off device is provided which is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 19. This throw off device comprises a lever 80 which is pivoted through a pivot 8| to a bracket 82 secured to bearing plate H of frame Ill. This bra'aret is attached to the said frame through screws 83 and projects across the said frame as best shown in Fig. 3. The lever 80 has formed on it an arm 84 which projects inwardly toward the staff 29. This arm is constructed at its end with a cam 85 having a spiralled cam surface 86 and terminates in a rounded tip 8]. Cam surface 86 is adapted to engage the outer surface of the disk 38 and restrains the 'said member 35 from longitudinal movement along the staff 29, the amount of restraint of such move ment being determined by the position of the said cam. In Fig. l the position of the cam when the member 35 is in operative position is shown in full lines while the position of the various parts when the cam is free from the disk 38 is shown in dotted lines. struction the alarm and signal can be shut off thereby preventing operation of either. When the lever 80 is in intermediate position disk 38 is so held that only the switch 55 is closed, whereby the lamp 70 may be permitted to function while the alarm 69 is cut oil. In this manner, the signal lamp 18 may be operated or both the lamp and the alarm simultaneously actuated. By the use of a lamp for a signal it be- By means of this concomes unnecessary to immediately shut off the signal once the same is given. In this manner the sleeper may become fully aroused before he arises, thereby .eliminating the shock usually encountered when the alarm is used instead of the signal.

My invention is highly advantageous in that a practical and useful device is provided whereby a signal may be used to arouse a sleeper instead of or together with an alarm. With my invention both signal and alarm may be employed and the same caused to be given at succeeding instances of time. My invention is positive in action and extremely accurate. Due to the fact that the same trip mechanism operates both switches, the exact timing of the signal and alarm can be accurately made so that the desired results can be procured with precision. By means of the throw off device either the signal or both signal and alarm can be given as desired or both completely out out. With the manually controlled switch the signal may also be used to illuminate the clock dial whereby the time of day can be determined at all times.

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a clock including a frame, a staff carried by said frame, a member fixed relative to said staff, a member rotatable about the axis of said staff and slidable along said staff toward and from said first named member, one of said members being constfucted with an abutment having two longitudinally extending notches therein, one of said notches being deeper than the other, means on the other of said members adapted to ride upon said abutment and to enter either of said notches, and means for urging said first named means in engagement with the abutment of said member.

2. In combination, a clock including a frame, a staff carried by said frame, a member fixed relative to said staff, a member rotatable about the axis of said staff and slidable along said staff toward and from said first named member, one of said members a radial abutment having two longitudinally extending notches therein, one of said notches being deeper than the other, means on the other of said members adapted to ride upon said abutment and to enter either of said notches, and means for urging said first named means into engagement with the abutment of said member, a signal, an alarm and operating means operated by said revoluble member and adapted when said first named means is in one of said notches to operate said signal and when in the other of said notches to operate said alarm.

3. In combination, a clock including a frame, a staff carried by said frame, a member fixed relative to said staff, a second member revoluble about the axis of said staff and slidable along said staff toward and from said first named member, one of said members being constructed with a radial abutment having two longitudinotches therein, one

said abutment and to enter either of said notches, means for urging said first named means into engagement with said abutment, two switches,

being constructed with 50 means operated by said revoluble member for actuating said switches, said means operating when said first named means is disposed in one of said notches to actuate one of the said switches and when disposed in the other of said notches to actuate the other of said switches.

4. In combination, a clock including a frame, a staff carried by said frame, a member fixed relative to said staff, a second member revoluble about the axis of said staff and slidable along said staff toward and from said first named member, one of said members being constructed with a radial abutment having two longitudinally extending notches therein, one of said notches being deeper than the other, means on the other of said members adapted to ride upon said abutment and to enter either of said notches, means for urging said first named means into engagement with said abutment, two switches, means operable by said revoluble member for actuating said switches, said means operating when said first named means is disposed in one of said notches to actuate one of the said switches and when disposed in the other of said notches to actuate both of said switches.

5. In combination, a clock including a frame, a stafi carried by said'frame, a member fixed relative to said staff, a member rotatable about the axis of said staff and slidable along said staff toward and from said first named member, one of said members being constructed with an abutment having two longitudinally extending notches therein, one of said notches being deeper than the other, a finger on one of said mem-' bers adapted to ride upon said abutment and to enter said notches, resilient means for urging said rotatable member toward said fixed member to hold said finger into engagement with said abutment, two switches including movable switch elements, and means operated by said revoluble member for holding said switch elements open when said finger is riding upon said abutment and for successively closing the switch elements of said switches when the finger successively enters said notches.

6. In combination, a clock including a frame, a staff carried by said frame, a member fixed relative to said staff, a member rotatable about the axis of said staff and slidable along said staff toward and from said first named member, one of said members being constructed with an abutment having two longitudinally extending notches therein, one of said notches being deeper than the other, means on the other of said members adapted to ride upon said abutment and to enter either of said notches, means for yieldingly urging said first named means in engagement with'the abutment of said member,

and .a lever pivoted to said frame for shifting said rotatable member axially along said shaft to prevent engagement of the abutment with one of said notches.

'7. In combination, a clock including a revoluble member and a juxtaposed non-revoluble member, one of said members being movable toward the other member, two switches, both operated by said movable member, two cams on one of said members and a follower on the other member adapted to engage said cams, said movable member. occupying different positions when the follower is in engagement with the respective cams, said movable member when the follower is in engagement with one cam causing operation of one switch and when the follower is in engagement with the other cam causing operation of the other switch, and means for selectively holding said follower out of engagement with one of said cams to prevent operation of the switch controlled thereby.

CHRISTIAN E. SHOLDEN. 

